Faculty Bylaws Amendment 1718-BA01
UNIVERSITY SENATE
UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Introduced by: Governance Council
Date: February 14th, 2017
FACULTY BYLAWS AMENDMENT for PART TIME REPRESENTATION
IT IS HEREBY PROPOSED THAT THE FOLLOWING BE ADOPTED:
That the proposed amendment of the Faculty Bylaws below be adopted
That these amendments go into effect immediately
Current Faculty Bylaws:
Article II Section 2: Composition of the Senate
2.2 There shall be eight Senators elected at large from the eligible Voting Faculty, of
whom four shall be from among the Professional Faculty. In addition there shall be
two Senators elected at-large from among the part-time faculty.
Proposed Revision to the Faculty Bylaws:
Article II Section 2: Composition of the Senate
2.2 At-Large Senators.
2.2.1 There shall be eight senators elected at-large from the eligible Voting
Faculty, of whom four shall be from among the Professional Faculty.
2.2.2. There shall be two senators elected at-large from among the part-time
faculty. These senators shall be nominated by the Faculty, and elected by the
Voting Faculty and the part-time faculty. Nominations for part-time senators are
restricted to faculty whose primary appointment at the University at Albany is
part-time and have been employed at the University at Albany for at least one
year.
Rationale:
Article I, Section 1.11 of The Faculty Bylaws Of the University at Albany describe the
Voting Faculty as consisting of 1) the Chancellor, 2) the President, 3) all the full-time
members of the Teaching Faculty, except: emeriti, instructors enrolled in degree
programs and individuals holding appointments for less than one academic year;
and 4) all full-time Professional Faculty except individuals holding appointments for
less than one academic year.
Article II, Section 2 titled “Composition of the Senate” describes the various
members of the Senate and who elects them: the Voting Faculty elect the Senators
who represent the teaching faculty, the professional faculty, and the part-time
faculty; students elect student Senators. Since part-time faculty are not part of the
Voting Faculty, they are not enfranchised. This means that they cannot elect their
own part-time At-Large Senator representatives.
This amendment seeks to remedy that situation by granting part-time faculty the
right to vote for their own representatives to the Senate. It does alter the definition
of the Voting Faculty.
Additionally, the amendment restricts nominations for representatives of part-time
faculty to individuals who are truly part-time members of the faculty in order to
ensure a faithful representation of part-time faculty concerns. The requirement that
nominees for part-time at-large senator positions must have been employed at the
University at Albany for at least one year describes the minimum level of
commitment to our institution and the minimum familiarity with the role and
concerns of the constituency that individuals holding Senate positions would need
in order to fulfill their responsibilities.
